At 91, Giorgio Armani Prepares For The Future Of His Fashion Empire

At 91, Giorgio Armani continues to surprise the fashion world, in which he is a true pillar. Last Saturday, in the sumptuous setting of the Venice Film Festival, he launched a brand new platform dedicated to the fashion house's archives, with a dinner in aid of UNICEF followed by an evening at Tesa 113 in the Arsenale. At the same time, he signed the new official collection for Juventus, the iconic Italian soccer team.

The Armani/Archivio platform for preserving the brand's historical heritage was an immediate success when it was unveiled last Saturday at the Venice Arsenal, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Armani Foundation. It will showcase and make accessible several past and timeless collections designed by the creator during his long career, online since Saturday, August 30, at archivio.armani.com and in a physical location near Milan. All employees of the group have full access to the platform, while the public will be able to explore an initial selection of 57 looks.

Despite his inexhaustible energy, the legendary Italian designer is thinking very seriously about the future of his group. Last Friday, in an interview with How to Spend It, the supplement to the Financial Times business magazine, the designer announced his succession plan: “It consists of gradually transferring the responsibilities I have always assumed to my close associates, such as Leo Dell'Orco*, members of my family, and the entire team.”

While he has no shortage of determination and creativity, Giorgio Armani has recently been affected by a series of health problems that prevented him from attending the Paris and Milan fashion week shows last June. This absence means a lot to the fashion house, as the designer has never missed a single show since 1975.

Armani, creative director and CEO of the group, therefore wants a gradual handover, with the beneficiaries being his closest colleagues and family members already involved in the company, such as his niece Roberta Armani. The choice of successor naturally falls to *Pantaleo Dell'Orco, head of menswear design and the designer's right-hand man since 1977.
Armani is particularly keen on this idea of a “smooth succession” to ensure the continuity of his artistic vision and to rely on family governance.

The problems caused by examples of abrupt succession, such as that of Gianni Versace, probably influenced this decision. “I would like the succession to be organic and not a moment of rupture,” he said.

The stakes are high, as the Armani group recorded sales of €2.3 billion last year. The designer, Armani, is the sole shareholder of the company, which he owns 100%, a rather unique case in the world of luxury fashion.